INVESTIGATION REPORT F14-01

Transcription

1 INVESTIGATION REPORT F14-01 USE OF POLICE INFORMATION CHECKS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA Elizabeth Denham Information and Privacy Commissioner April 15, 2014 Quicklaw Cite: [2014] B.C.I.P.C.D. No. 14 CanLII Cite: 2014 BCIPC No. 14

2 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS COMMISSIONER S MESSAGE 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF REPORT Introduction Investigative Process Application of FIPPA and PIPA Policing in British Columbia Types of Employment-Related Record Checks History of Employment-Related Record Checks in BC Efficacy of Employment-Related Record Checks ISSUES IDENTIFIED INVESTIGATIVE STEPS CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS OTHER JURISDICTIONS Canada International ANALYSIS Definition of Personal Information under PIPA and FIPPA Current Police Information Checks are not Balanced Consent for the Change in Use of Personal Information Employer Collection under PIPA Employer Collection under FIPPA A BALANCED WAY FORWARD A Look Back Where We Are Now The Way Forward SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 42 APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY 43

3 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 3 Commissioner s Message This is one of the most important investigation reports, if not the most important, that I have issued in my role as Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia. This report examines the increasing use of employment-related record checks, specifically what are known as police information checks. These checks can disclose sensitive personal information including mental health illnesses, suicide attempts, and allegations or investigations that did not result in charges or convictions; information that is untested and unproven in court. The current record check system in British Columbia permits the release of more mental health information and other non-conviction information than the vast majority of other jurisdictions we studied. This investigation report clearly demonstrates that police information checks, issued by BC s police forces, have a significant, real-world impact on British Columbians. These checks can affect an individual s ability to successfully obtain employment and can have lasting negative effects on their dignity and self-esteem. This reality is reflected in the stories that British Columbians shared with me and that appear in this report. I believe the current release of personal information in police information checks does not achieve the appropriate balance between an individual s right to privacy and an employer s right to obtain relevant background information on potential employees. Through police information checks, non-conviction information is routinely disclosed to employers without any evidence that these checks result in better hiring decisions. Since the current system of police information checks has been developed in a legislative vacuum, my primary recommendation is that the provincial government should develop legislation to achieve the appropriate balance. Until that legislation is developed, it is vital for government and police boards to direct police agencies to change their policies and practices to be consistent with the recommendations in this report. In the course of this investigation, we received dozens of personal accounts from individuals who have first-hand experience with police information checks in the hiring process. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their honesty, courage, and willingness to share their stories with this Office. Some of their personal accounts are included in this report; names have been changed and specifics have been altered to protect their privacy.

4 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 4 Executive Summary This investigation report examines the use of employment-related record checks issued by police as an employment screening tool in both the public and private sector, and the impact these record checks have on British Columbians. The three types of employment-related record checks we consider are: Statutorily-required record checks Pursuant to BC s Criminal Records Review Act ( CRRA ), those who work with children or vulnerable adults and who are employed by, licensed by or receive ongoing operating funds from the provincial government receive checks coordinated by a central agency. These checks start with a review of convictions and outstanding charges and can then include further information where appropriate; Criminal record checks These checks include information on prior criminal convictions, other than summary conviction offences. These are no longer offered by police services in BC; and Police information checks These checks include information about prior convictions, outstanding charges, and non-conviction information such as adverse police contact, investigations that did not result in charges, and apprehensions under s. 28 of the Mental Health Act. The main focus of this report is on the extensive information provided to potential employers in a police information check. The issues in this investigation are: Whether private and public sector employers are able to collect the broad range of personal information contained in a police information check without being in contravention of the Personal Information Protection Act and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Determining the appropriate framework for conducting employmentrelated record checks in BC. As part of this investigation, we conducted interviews with municipal police departments and received written submissions from municipal police boards, employers, civil society groups and citizens to help us better understand the police information check process. In the course of this investigation, we received dozens of personal accounts from individuals who have firsthand experience with police information checks in the hiring process. Their stories illustrate the impact police information checks have

5 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 5 on an individual s employment prospects and their lasting impact on feelings of human dignity, respect and trust. We also looked at record check practices in other Canadian jurisdictions as well as in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and continental Europe. We observed that the information provided in a police information check in British Columbia is on the extreme end of the disclosure spectrum compared to other jurisdictions. Because of the breadth of personal information included in a police information check, it is likely that most public and private sector employers who require a police information check from a prospective employee will be collecting more personal information than is authorized by provincial privacy legislation. This report recommends a new design for employment-related record checks that balances the legitimate business interests of employers with the privacy rights of citizens. This new process should be legislated to provide clarity for British Columbians. The Commissioner s recommendations are: 1) Government and police boards should immediately direct police to cease providing mental health information in a police information check; 2) Government should enact legislation to prohibit the release of nonconviction information for record checks for position outside the vulnerable sector; 3) Until recommendation (2) is adopted, government and police boards should direct police to stop releasing non-conviction information for positions outside the vulnerable sector; 4) Government and police boards should direct police agencies to implement a record check model that allows individuals to request only conviction information that is relevant to the position for which they are applying; and 5) Government should enact legislation to mandate that the centralized office currently operating under the CRRA undertake all record checks for vulnerable sector employees.

6 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF REPORT 1.1 Introduction In recent decades, British Columbians have been subject to a significant increase in requests for employment-related record checks by both public and private sector employers. Although there is a lack of research demonstrating the usefulness of these record checks, some employers believe them to be a valuable screening tool for determining the suitability of a prospective employee or volunteer. Over the years, the breadth of information being collected has increased to the point that very sensitive personal information is being revealed. Many of these record checks make use of information about an individual s criminal conviction history as well as non-conviction information, such as investigations or charges that have not resulted in convictions, or mental health issues. While these checks ostensibly rely upon the consent of the individual requesting the check, the reality is the individual is unlikely to still be considered for employment if they refuse. As a result, it is important that the process for record checks achieves the correct balance between an individual s right to keep certain information private and an employer s desire for relevant background information about an applicant. This appropriate balance is essential, given that employment is a fundamental aspect of an individual s life. It is a component of identity, self-worth, emotional and financial well-being. 1 As a result of this fundamental significance, my Office spends considerable time and resources examining the privacy issues that employees and employers commonly face. Perhaps no privacy issue is currently of greater significance in the employment context than the frequent requests for and use of record checks. It is important to note that I decided not to focus our investigation on any particular public body or organization. Instead, my focus is on the general issue of the compliance of police record checks with privacy legislation in our province and how these checks impact British Columbians. On October 25, 2013, I informed the municipal police departments in British Columbia and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ( RCMP ) that I had decided 1 Reference Re Public Service Employee Relations Act (Alberta), [1987] 1 S.C.R. 313, at para. 91.

7 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 7 to investigate the use of police information checks, which are the broadest form of employment-related record check and which are defined later in this report. The goal of this investigation was to gain a better understanding of how these police information checks are used and to evaluate their compliance with the privacy requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ( FIPPA ) and the Personal Information Protection Act ( PIPA ). For the assistance of readers, a glossary of terms is contained in Appendix A. 1.2 Investigative Process As the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, I have a statutory mandate to monitor the compliance of public bodies with FIPPA and organizations with PIPA to ensure the purposes of these statutes are achieved. The purposes of FIPPA, as stated in s. 2(1), are to make public bodies more accountable to the public and to protect personal privacy. The measures to protect personal privacy include preventing the unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of personal information by public bodies. Under s. 42(1)(a) of FIPPA, I have the authority to conduct an investigation to ensure compliance with that Act. While I am not investigating a particular public body in this instance, I am concerned about the effect the broader form of police information checks have on the ability of public bodies across British Columbia to comply with FIPPA. I am also concerned with the question of whether the use of individuals personal information for police information checks is compliant with FIPPA. Under s. 42(1)(f) of FIPPA, I also have the authority to comment on the privacy implications of a program or activity of a public body. The purpose of PIPA, as stated in s. 2, is to govern the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by organizations in a manner that recognizes both the right of individuals to protect their personal information and the need of organizations to collect, use or disclose personal information for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances. Under s. 36(1)(a) of PIPA, I have the authority to initiate an investigation to ensure compliance with PIPA provided I have reasonable grounds to believe that an organization is not in compliance. While I am not investigating a particular organization in this instance, I am concerned about the effect police information checks have on the ability of organizations across British Columbia to comply with PIPA. Organizations include businesses and other entities in the private sector, including non-profit agencies and political parties. As part of this investigation, my Office conducted site visits in Saanich, Abbotsford and Vancouver to ensure an understanding of the process followed by these Police Departments in offering the various forms of record checks. We

8 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 8 then wrote to each of the other municipal police departments in British Columbia and to the RCMP to confirm that we understood the process they follow. In addition to the practices followed by police forces, it is important to gain an understanding of the perspectives of groups and individuals who are impacted by the various forms of record checks. To facilitate this, I sent a consultation letter in January of this year to civil society groups, employer groups and other stakeholders to seek their comments. My Office also posted this letter on our website as an invitation to the citizens of British Columbia to either answer the questions it posed or to otherwise share their personal experiences. My Office also reviewed the use of employment-related record checks in other Canadian jurisdictions and around the world. 1.3 Application of FIPPA and PIPA As is stated in s. 3(1), FIPPA applies to all records in the custody or under the control of a public body. PIPA applies to every organization other than in instances specifically excluded by parts of s. 3. Police information checks result in the production of a record containing significant amounts of personal information, which individuals subsequently provide to their prospective employer. As such, FIPPA and PIPA apply to all public bodies and organizations who ask prospective employees or volunteers to provide them with a completed police information check. FIPPA also applies to municipal police departments who conduct police information checks as they have various records in their custody or under their control that are used in conducting the check. They also disclose personal information, an activity that Part 3 of FIPPA governs. While the RCMP is subject to the federal Privacy Act and not to FIPPA or PIPA, the record check process it offers is the only one available to many employers throughout the province who themselves must comply with provincial privacy legislation. 1.4 Policing in British Columbia In British Columbia, policing is governed by the Police Act, 2 which provides for a provincial police force as well as for municipal police forces. 2 Police Act, [RSBC 1996] Chapter 367.

9 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 9 The Police Act requires any municipality with a population over 5,000 to provide policing and law enforcement within the municipality. 3 While most of this policing is carried out by the RCMP under contract, the following 11 municipalities have their own police departments: Abbotsford; Central Saanich; Delta; Nelson; New Westminster; Oak Bay; Port Moody; Saanich; Vancouver; Victoria (who also provides policing to Esquimalt); and West Vancouver. There is one First Nations administered police service, the Stl atl imx Tribal Police Service. It is a designated policing unit pursuant to the Police Act, and operates under an agreement between the province, Canada and ten Stl atl imx Nation Communities. Stl atl imx Tribal Police constables have the same powers as any other municipal police constable in British Columbia. There are also several police agencies and integrated teams that provide supplemental or enhanced police services. For example, the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service is a designated policing unit in the Lower Mainland. These police agencies and integrated teams do not conduct police information checks for the public. Each of the municipal police forces is governed by a municipal police board, which is responsible for appointing the Chief Constable and other constables, as well as for hiring civilian employees. The municipal police department operates under the direction of the board and the Director of Police Services, 4 who is appointed by the Minister of Justice. While there is a long-standing common-law principle that police officers are independent from political direction on core law enforcement matters, the provision of police information checks is not a core law enforcement function. When disclosing information for a police information check, a police department is not engaged in the investigation, arrest, or prosecution of any person. Nor does the provision of such checks engage the principles underlying police 3 The province has contracted with the RCMP to operate as the provincial police force and the RCMP also provides contract policing services for approximately 62 of the province s cities and municipalities. 4 Police Act, ss. 26(2) and 39(1).

10 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 10 independence, which are to prevent the use of the police for partisan political purposes and to recognize their unique expertise related to matters of policing and law enforcement. 5 Police departments have moved into the business of providing record checks primarily because they are in possession of these records. In my view, this activity does not involve the exercise of their powers, duties or functions as police under statute or common law. It does not involve a law enforcement investigation, criminal intelligence activities, or the exercise of a discretion or power by police under statute or at common law. The BC Association of Chiefs of Police ( BCACP ) has adopted a policy to provide what can reasonably be described as an information service; a service where police have a near monopoly on the information they supply. As discussed later in this report, the harm which this has caused to innocent individuals who have little choice but to make use of this process has profound public policy implications. The responsibility for policies guiding the provision of this information lies more appropriately with government than with police agencies. 1.5 Types of Employment-Related Record Checks There are three types of employment-related record checks offered in British Columbia that are important to understand in this investigation: those that are required by statute, criminal record checks, and police information checks. Statutorily-required record checks BC s Criminal Records Review Act ( CRRA ) applies to individuals who work with children or vulnerable adults and who are employed by, licensed by, or receive regular ongoing operating funds for core programs from the provincial government. In addition, not-for-profit organizations can opt into the CRRA for their volunteers, but are not required by legislation to do so. Under the CRRA review process, a central provincial agency under the supervision of the Registrar for the Criminal Records Review Program conducts the checks. That office determines whether the individual it is reviewing has any relevant convictions or outstanding charges. If it finds a conviction or outstanding charge, the Registrar conducts a risk assessment to determine whether the individual is suitable for hiring. 5 P. Ceyssens, Legal Aspects of Policing (looseleaf updated March 2012) (Salt Spring Island, B.C.: Earlscourt Legal Press Inc,1994), ch 1 at p. 27; Ontario, Ipperwash Inquiry, Report of the Ipperwash Inquiry, vol. 2 at p. 327; D. Walsh and V. Conway, Police governance and accountability: overview of current issues (2011) 55 Crime Law Soc. Change 61 at p. 71.

11 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 11 This risk assessment could include review of such things as police files, the conduct of a police information check (defined below), or interviews of the individual or victims. There is also the ability of the individual to participate and provide input for the risk assessment. If an individual does not have a prior conviction or outstanding charge for a relevant offence under the CRRA, the employer will be notified that the person has passed the screening. If a relevant offence is found, the criminal record is not sent to the employer. Instead, the actual risk posed is determined by trained staff, who ultimately send a letter to the employer that discloses only whether the individual is suitable to be hired or not. The CRRA is balanced legislation that sets out a privacy sensitive background check process for provincially-funded entities who deal with the vulnerable sector in British Columbia. Trained staff in a centralized office make risk-assessment decisions based on criminal records and non-conviction information in relation to specific positions. For these and other reasons the CRRA is an appropriate approach to employment-related record checks in the vulnerable sector. It is an illustration of a legislation-based alternative to the police information check approach adopted by police agencies in this province. The process in place under the CRRA was not a subject of this investigation nor will this report make recommendations for changes to that process. Outside of the CRRA program, police agencies in British Columbia currently offer two types of background checks, which I will now describe. Criminal record checks A criminal record check is a search of an RCMP database to determine whether an individual has prior criminal convictions. The search is performed by checking information such as an individual s name, date of birth and gender against the national repository of criminal records maintained by the RCMP. Summary conviction offences 6 are not included within the scope of a criminal record check. Municipal police departments and the RCMP no longer offer a stand-alone criminal record check, and instead only offer the broader police information checks. Police information checks This type of employment-related record check is the subject of this report. Police information checks include a search of the Police Records Information 6 Summary conviction offences are considered less serious than indictable offences. As per s. 787 of the Criminal Code of Canada, summary conviction offences can be punished by a maximum of six months imprisonment, a $5,000 fine, or both. Some examples of summary conviction offences include causing a disturbance and trespassing. Fingerprints are not taken for those convicted of a strictly summary offence.

12 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 12 Management Environment ( PRIME ), which is British Columbia s police records management system, and of CPIC, the national repository of criminal records maintained by the RCMP. A police information check might also include information about convictions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, a search of court records in BC, and records management systems in jurisdictions outside of BC. In addition to disclosing whether an individual has prior convictions or outstanding charges, a police information check also discloses non-conviction records such as: warrants for arrest; peace bonds or restraining orders in effect; information about adverse police contact; 7 charges approved by Crown Counsel that do not result in convictions; investigations that do not result in charges; and information about apprehensions under the Mental Health Act. Information about an individual who has been a witness to, or a victim of, an incident is recorded in PRIME, but is not released as part of a police information check. 1.6 History of Employment-Related Record Checks In BC The Legislature enacted the CRRA in 1996 to help protect children from individuals whose criminal record indicates they pose a risk of physical or sexual abuse. 8 In 2009, the CRRA was amended to mandate checks for individuals working with vulnerable adults. In 2013, it was amended again to encompass the volunteer sector by providing free criminal record checks to volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults in public or non-profit organizations that decided to opt into the Criminal Records Review Program. Over this same time there has been a quiet and significant shift from criminal records checks to the more expansive police information checks in BC. Since the CRRA was first enacted, there has been a significant increase in the number of employers that choose to require employees and volunteers to provide a police information check. This includes employers who work within the 7 Adverse police contact is non-conviction information that may include events relating to such things as a mental health incident or an investigation into a possible criminal offence. 8 See Ministry of Justice website at It was not passed without concern about the necessity for these checks and the privacy implications of the law. See Hansard from June 20, 1995, at p at

13 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 13 vulnerable sector, but that do not receive funding from the provincial government. The result is that the majority of checks conducted in British Columbia are police information checks, which take place through a process that was developed by our province s police agencies rather than having been created by government and governed by appropriate legislation. This point will be discussed further in this report. The evolution of the CRRA as it relates to vulnerable persons, demonstrates that government and the Legislature understood the significant policy implications raised by these employment-related record checks and the need to deal with them legislatively. The privacy implications of police information checks undertaken for individuals seeking employment outside of the vulnerable sector are just as profound but to date government has not addressed these matters through legislation or policy. In 2008, the BCACP requested that the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (now the Ministry of Justice) convene a working group to review the record check process in British Columbia that lies outside the scope of the CRRA. The working group had representatives from municipal police departments, the RCMP, the Ministry of Justice and PRIME-BC. The working group s mandate was to provide a consistent standard for police information checks in our province. To this end, they created a document titled Guideline for Police Information Checks ( Guidelines ). In November 2010, the BCACP endorsed the recommendations of the working group and changes to the procedure for conducting record checks were implemented in the spring of 2012 consistent with the Guidelines. The working group and various municipal police departments provided my Office with a copy of the Guidelines as part of this investigation. 1.7 Efficacy of Employment-Related Record Checks There is a lack of evidence indicating that employment-related record checks are an effective employment screening method. The primary purpose of these checks is to assist an employer in determining the suitability of an employee, by looking at past conduct as a means to address possible workplace safety and security issues. Proactively safeguarding workplaces from safety and security issues is a laudable intent that one hopes every employer brings to their workplace. However, evidence shows that employers are driven by assumptions, rather than evidence, that conducting record checks on prospective and current employees is an effective means by which an employer can prevent subsequent work-related incidents. Research shows that indicators for the likelihood of an individual engaging again in criminal activity are ineffective for examining the likelihood of an offence perpetrated at the expense of an employer. One study tracked re-offending in

14 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 14 the context of employment and found that variables which normally predict subsequent criminal activity made no impact in trying to predict offenses against an employer. 9 This study shows a decided lack of evidence as to the efficacy of employment-related record checks for employers, additionally raising the question as to whether employer resources may be better spent on other measures that ensure a safe and secure work environment. What is clearly demonstrated by evidence and academic research is that the income, stable housing, and social networks that are fostered by employment are significant predictive factors against an individual with a criminal record re-offending. 10 Therefore, record checks that prevent citizens from obtaining work may actually result in a burden on society as a whole that is significantly greater than any perceived benefit to the employer. 2.0 ISSUES IDENTIFIED The issues in this investigation are: 1. Do employers in the private sector have authority to collect personal information contained in a police information check? [s. 11 of PIPA] 2. Do employers in the public sector have authority to collect personal information contained in a police information check? [s. 26 of FIPPA] 3. What is the appropriate framework for conducting British Columbia s employment-related record checks? 3.0 INVESTIGATIVE STEPS My investigators interviewed representatives from the Saanich, Abbotsford and Vancouver Police Departments to ensure we understood the process that municipal police departments follow in offering police information checks. We confirmed our understanding of this process with other municipal police departments across the province as well as with the RCMP in order to identify any discrepancies. My investigators also spoke with the Stl atl imx Tribal Police Service about the record checks they offer and interviewed representatives from 9 See Soothil, K. l et al, Middle-Class Offenders as Employees Assessing the Risk: A 35-Year Follow-Up (2013) 52 Journal of Offender Rehabilitation See: Giffiths et al The Social Reintegration of Offenders and Crime Prevention. Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Council; Human Resources and Social Development Canada When Working is not enough to Escape Poverty: An Analysis of Canada s Working Poor ; Uggen, C Work as a turning point in the life course of criminals: A duration model of age, employment and recidivism. American Sociological Review, 65(4),

15 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 15 the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires ( Commissionaires ) 11 and BackCheck 12 to determine whether non-police organizations offer police information checks. A summary of the evidence my investigators collected follows. Municipal Police Departments All of the municipal police departments that we visited, or received written responses from, follow the Guidelines and provide police information checks rather than (narrower) criminal record checks. Each department only provides checks to individuals who are residents of the area in which the police department is based. In conducting a police information check, the police cross-reference an individual s name and date of birth against various databases, including: Canadian Police Information Centre ( CPIC ) an RCMP database that includes information about criminal convictions (summary and indictable); PRIME an information system that connects every municipal police department and RCMP detachment throughout the province; Police Information Portal ( PIP ) a national database that provides access to local databases of police agencies across Canada; Police Information Retrieval System ( PIRS ) provides access to historical RCMP records that are not available via CPIC; Police Reporting and Occurrence System ( PROS ) this database records occurrence information for the RCMP and some non-rcmp police forces in Canada; PROS is essentially the RCMP version of PRIME; and JUSTIN a court records database. Municipal police departments offer two types of police information checks one for individuals who are not working or volunteering with children and vulnerable adults and a second for people who are. Police information check with no vulnerable sector screening element This check is for individuals who are seeking a volunteer position or employment in a capacity that does not involve children or vulnerable adults. According to the Guidelines, police departments will release the following information in a police information check: 11 The Commissionaires is a non-profit agency that employs retired police officers and armed forces veterans in a variety of security enforcement roles. It also offers background screening, which includes a criminal record check. 12 BackCheck is a private company that offers a variety of background check services for employers, volunteer agencies, and landlords.

16 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 16 Criminal convictions (summary and indictable) and findings of guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act; Outstanding judicial orders, such as charges and warrants, peace bonds, probation and prohibition orders; Absolute discharges for a period of one year from the date the applicant was discharged and conditional discharges for a period of three years from the date the applicant was found guilty; Charges recommended or processed by other means such as diversion; Non-conviction dispositions including, but not limited to, withdrawn, dismissed, and cases of not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder; Information recorded in a local police database (such as PRIME) documenting the applicant to have been a suspect in an offence (whether or not charged); and Information from police databases obtained under s. 28 of the Mental Health Act as a result of a police apprehension where an individual is acting in a manner likely to endanger that person s own safety or the safety of others and the individual is apparently a person with a mental disorder. If disclosable, the applicant will be referred to as subject and the incident will be referred to as violent and/or threatening behaviour towards self or others. The following information is not released by police as part of a police information check: Convictions where a pardon has been granted, including for sexual offences; Convictions under provincial statutes; BC Motor Vehicle Branch information, such as traffic violations or roadside driving suspensions; Suspect information that would hinder an ongoing investigation or where the suspect has not been spoken to (note: these may also result in the delay or termination of a record check by the police); Information from the Special Interest Police category of CPIC; Any reference to contagious disease; Victim or complainant information; and Information from foreign law enforcement agencies.

17 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 17 Police information check with a vulnerable sector screening element Municipal police also offer a vulnerable sector check that goes beyond the basic police information checks described above. This check is distinct from the CRRA process, which only applies to individuals working with children or vulnerable adults in programs that receive provincial funding. This broader vulnerable sector check applies to individuals who work in the vulnerable sector, but do not work for employers that receive government funding. This includes positions such as nannies, babysitters and some summer camp leaders. The vulnerable sector check includes everything in a police information check as well as certain sexual offence convictions for which a pardon has been granted. Release of information The Guidelines include an appendix titled Information Check Release Chart, which sets out the various types of information that police departments will release as part of a police information check. The Guidelines also set out how long police departments will release this information from the date of its occurrence. An example is that police departments release information regarding mental health apprehensions other than suicide attempts for a period of five years from the date of occurrence. In the case of suicide attempts, or threat of suicide, police departments will release that information if incidents occurred in the previous year. If there have been multiple threats or attempts of suicide where the police took action, they will release such information covering the previous five years. Reconsideration process Police departments offer a reconsideration process through which an individual can raise concerns about the results of their police information check. From our interviews and from the written responses from police departments, it does not appear that applicants commonly use this process. The reconsideration process is limited to correcting factual errors in the release of information. For instance, police will look to see that information was correctly classified as a category that is releasable under the Guidelines (i.e., if the individual was a witness, the information should not be released) or if it was incorrectly released outside of the release dates set out in those Guidelines. The reconsideration process does not, however, address concerns by individuals that more personal information notably sensitive information about mental health is included in a police information check. This touches on a central concern

18 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 18 raised in this report, namely that police information checks necessarily result in an over-broad disclosure of personal information in almost all circumstances. This point is illustrated by statistics provided by Vancouver Police Department which does a thorough job of keeping statistics relating to its conduct of police information checks. In 2013, this Department completed 18,250 checks and released information on 797 (4%) of these checks. Interestingly, only 224 of the 797 checks (28%) involved criminal convictions. That is to say 72% involved the release of non-conviction records only. This is clearly a significant number. Mental health information was included in 6% of the 797 checks where information was released. RCMP The RCMP stated that it is transitioning its process throughout the province to align with the Guidelines. The current process is already largely in line with that of the Guidelines and municipal police departments. The RCMP will not offer a stand-alone criminal record check. Stl atl imx Tribal Police Service The Stl atl imx Tribal Police Service also only offers individuals two types of checks: a police information check and a police information check with vulnerable sector screening. Commissionaires and BackCheck The Commissionaires in Victoria and BackCheck informed my Office that they do not conduct police information checks, but instead only offer employment-related criminal record checks. These checks are conducted through the RCMP, with the Commissionaires and BackCheck acting as facilitators. This is consistent with my Office s understanding from discussions with government about the types of checks offered by organizations who are not involved in policing. 4.0 CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS An important part of this investigation was a consultation process with citizens and interested stakeholder groups. To facilitate this, I posted a letter on my Office s website advising that I was conducting this investigation and asking for submissions from the public as well as from municipal police boards on this issue. I encouraged respondents to either address the specific questions I had posed or share their own views or personal experiences with respect to police information checks.

19 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 19 British Columbian s significant interest in this issue was demonstrated by the over 100 submissions from a variety of interested stakeholders, including individuals, municipal police boards, civil society groups, employer groups and lawyers. What follows here is a summary of the submissions that my Office received. These submissions were consistently of very high quality and contributed greatly to my Office s understanding of this issue and to this report. Responses to OIPC questions Twenty three responses specifically addressed each of the questions I asked in my consultation letter. 1. Do you believe that employers and non-profit agencies require the amount of personal information about potential employees and volunteers that is included as part of a police information check? No individuals or groups who responded to this question believed that all employers and non-profit agencies require the amount of personal information involved in a police information check. A few responses did state that a police information check may be justifiable for individuals who will be working with children or vulnerable adults. Two responses specifically set out other positions where a police information check might be justifiable, namely where a person is responsible for a significant amount of money or the position has significant political ramifications. 2. In some instances, employers and non-profit agencies require rechecks of an individual s criminal record every five years. Would your answer to question #1 change if instead of potential employees we were considering police information checks on individuals who were already employed or volunteering? If yes, how would it change? One response felt a re-check every five years was appropriate for positions that could justify a police information check in the first instance. The other 22 responses felt that a police information check on an individual who was already employed or volunteering was not appropriate. and 3. What type of guidance is needed for employers, non-profit agencies and citizens to inform them about when it is appropriate to do an employment-related record check and the appropriate type of check to choose in any particular circumstance (i.e., policy, legislation, etc.)?

20 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 20 Who do you believe should provide this guidance? The police? The provincial government? The Privacy Commissioner? The majority of submissions on this question believed that government needed to bring forward legislation in this area after consultation with my Office. In some instances, responses specifically stated that such legislation should make the use of any non-conviction records illegal in all or the vast majority of instances. Others suggested that policy was an appropriate solution. In these instances, the general belief was that policy should clearly set out when it is, and when it is not, appropriate for an employer to request a police information check from a prospective employee or volunteer. Those who believed policy was the correct solution felt it appropriate for both my Office and government to play a role in its creation. Two responses emphasised the point that the problems with police information checks would not be resolved through legislation or policy without excluding nonconviction information in almost all instances. Other issues raised in the submissions Almost every response commented on the inappropriateness of the inclusion of non-conviction information in a police information check in all, or nearly all, circumstances. There was not a single response that made an argument for why non-conviction information should be included as part of all checks. Many of the submissions offered thoughtful discussion regarding the problems that result from including non-conviction records as part of a record check. Numerous responses noted that this practice is in direct contradiction to the presumption of innocence a long-standing and fundamental element of the Canadian criminal justice system and Constitution. One particularly compelling submission made this excellent point: It is trite that the presumption of innocence is a core value and principle in our system of criminal justice. It is enshrined as a constitutional right in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms under s. 11(d): ( ) Any person charged with an offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal. It is not merely the formal penal consequences of a criminal allegation that represents the punishment for criminal behaviour. Often, it is the social stigmatization and public condemnation that are the worst implications for a convicted criminal.

21 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 21 To disclose the status of an individual as having been a suspect, charged or acquitted of a criminal offence is to heap on them much, if not all, the suspicion and wariness the public feels towards those convicted. A category of non-conviction information that police agencies release as part of a police information check is information from that was obtained in relation to apprehension of an individual under the Mental Health Act. Police collect this information when they are involved in situations where an individual is acting in a manner likely to endanger that person s own safety or the safety of others and the individual is apparently a person with a mental disorder. Of all the nonconviction information involved in a police information check, this category drew by far the most submissions. Nearly 30 submissions commented only on this issue, while more than half of all submissions addressed mental health apprehensions directly. Numerous submissions expressed the view that it was highly inappropriate for police agencies to release anything relating to mental health, and in particular about suicide attempts. A common theme was that police agencies inclusion of mental health information results in the ongoing stigmatization of mental health issues. One submission noted that mental illness is not a crime. It is an illness or medical issue, just as having a broken arm is a medical issue. Another noted that mental illness should be treated with the same privacy considerations as physical illness. Another submission noted that it is often by pure chance or circumstance that an individual will receive assistance from the police instead of from medical personnel, the B.C. Ambulance Service, or directly from the hospital. If the individual received care without the presence of police, that care would not be subject to disclosure. It is only where the police get involved that disclosure becomes a reality. A danger noted by many regarding this practice of disclosure by police agencies is that it may cause some individuals to reconsider seeking assistance during a mental health crisis out of fear about how police agencies will record such information and subsequently use it to the individual s detriment. One of the many articulate submissions we received noted that: When an individual involved in a mental health incident poses no threat to others, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which this information would be legitimately relevant to employers. Both British Columbian and Canadian human rights law forbids discrimination on the basis of mental health status, and the disclosure of such private health information vastly increases the likelihood that individuals will face such discrimination. In addition, the inclusion of mental health incidents in background checks reinforces the unacceptable and discriminatory association between mental illness and criminality. It contributes to the insupportable stereotype that those with

22 Investigation Report F14-01 Information & Privacy Commissioner for B.C. 22 mental health issues are a danger to society, despite the fact that the majority of these individuals never pose any threat to others. It is significant, and indeed telling, that no submissions whatsoever argued in favour of the inclusion of mental health information in a police information check. Individuals experiences with police information checks About 20 individuals shared their personal experience of how police information checks have affected them. These examples, and other experiences shared with us demonstrate the profound impact that broad police information disclosures have on British Columbians. Shannon s story 13 Shannon shared a story with us about police arresting her for theft a few years ago relating to an incident with another individual. She vigorously disputed the legitimacy of the allegation and felt vindicated and extremely relieved when Crown Counsel did not approve charges. Upon applying for a job some time later, Shannon s prospective employer asked her for a police information check. Shannon went to the police and her results showed this allegation. Shannon explained the situation to her prospective employer, but the employer chose not to hire her because of the concern that she had previously been suspected of theft, even though she had never been charged with an offence and did not have a criminal record. This example shows that an allegation by one individual, for whatever motivation and however baseless, can linger and inappropriately stigmatize someone despite not having been tested in a court of law. Greg s story Greg recounted an experience of going through a very difficult time in his life where there were marriage problems as well as health issues for his spouse. In the midst of these problems, he contemplated suicide and called the suicide hotline for help. Members of the police were sent to assist and took Greg to the hospital. About six months after this incident, Greg was approached to help coach his child s youth sports team. He was required to provide a police information check, which came back with a result noting Harm to Self. Greg elected not to provide the results of the check to the sports association, which meant he did not volunteer for this valuable community activity. 13 We have changed the names of the individuals who shared their stories with our Office.